Community Foundation of West Georgia in Top Philanthropic Tier Nationally

The Community Foundation of West Georgia, Inc. recently received notification that it has met the nation’s highest philanthropic standards for operational quality, integrity and accountability. The notice comes from the Council on Foundations, a national professional association based in Washington, D.C.

“This is similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal for community foundations,” said Steve Gunderson, Council on Foundations president and chief executive officer. “It says that the Community Foundation of West Georgia has demonstrated its commitment to accountability, excellence and service.”

The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations Program requires community foundations to document their policies for donor services, investment management, grantmaking and administration. With more than 700 community foundations nationwide, the program is designed to provide quality assurance to donors, as well as to their legal and financial advisors.

“This is critically important to our donors,” said Kim Jones, Community Foundation of West Georgia president. “When people make a charitable bequest, establish a fund or set up an annuity, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their wishes . The National Standards confirmation says our house is in order.”

The Community Foundation of West Georgia offers a range of charitable funds, allowing donors to advance a cause such as education or the environment, support an individual organization or provide flexible support for community needs. The community foundation can facilitate gifts of real estate, securities, insurance policies, retirement accounts, collectibles and cash. Development officers are available to work with legal and financial advisors to help meet clients’ charitable goals through planned gifts such as bequests, trusts and annuities. Client resources are available as well.

The National Standards confirmation also validates the Community Foundation of West Georgia’s grantmaking practices for the nonprofit community.

“Some say it’s easier to create wealth than to give money away wisely,” said P.J. Younglove Hovey, Community Foundation of West Georgia board chair. “There’s some truth in that. Grantmaking is a lot like investing… we need to assess risks, weigh potential gains, diversify assets, monitor performance and operate fairly. When you see the National Standards Seal, you can be assured that we’re committed to meeting the highest standards for grantmaking as well.”

The National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations program is the first of its kind for charitable foundations in the United States.

Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, the Community Foundation of West Georgia helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come.